DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday inaugurated his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">Board of Peace</a>&nbsp;to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.

In a speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/world-economic-forum-davos-updates-1-20-2026">the World Economic Forum</a>, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/greenland">seize Greenland</a>, then by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">a dramatic retreat</a>&nbsp;from that push.

“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”

The event featured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-dce5a67ee31c5310149121baa52ea14a">Ali Shaath</a>, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa">the Rafah border crossing will open</a>&nbsp;in both directions next week. That's after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.

Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, is overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-a7f07c3c9680b34c563124964885efa8">the Palestinian committee</a>&nbsp;set to govern the territory under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-trump-witkoff-bb39015d25aeb627a5b9ce73dd4e1155">U.S. supervision</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-board-of-peace-a4a296f736474e8c6a4edacd7109b8e5">The new peace board</a>&nbsp;was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.

Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other officials from only 19 countries plus the U.S. actually attended. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world."

Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day. But he was more conciliatory in his remarks on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss alps.

“We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn't enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that some countries’ leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments, and the Trump administration says it has also gotten queries about membership from countries that hadn’t been invited to participate yet.

Big questions remain, however, about what the eventual board will look like.

Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian president on Thursday is due to host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for talks in Moscow.

Others are asking why Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said her country wasn't signing on “because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.”

“And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” she told the BBC.

Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate, after France also said no. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts.

Canada, Ukraine, China and the executive arm of the European Union also haven't committed. Trump calling off the steep tariffs he threatened over Greenland could ease some allies' reluctance, but the issue is still far from settled.

The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas. But it noted that the use of those assets will require the U.S. action to unblock them.

The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">20-point Gaza ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and even was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-gaza-ceasefire-us-resolution-russia-107e44e276fe04a5365ff6d914545718">endorsed by the U.N. Security Council</a>.

Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;announced he’s agreed to join, after his office has earlier criticized the makeup of the board’s committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.

Months into the ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians continue to suffer the humanitarian crisis unleashed by more than two years of war. And violence in Gaza, while not at the same level as before the October ceasefire and hostage deal was agreed on, continues.

Key to the truce continuing to hold is the disarming of Hamas, something that the militant group that has controlled the Palestinian territory since 2007 has refused to do and that Israel sees as non-negotiable. Trump on Thursday repeated his frequently mentioned warnings that the group will have to do so or face dire consequences.

He also said the war in Gaza “is really coming to an end” while conceding, “We have little fires that we'll put out. But they're little,” and they had been “giant, giant, massive fires.”

Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">some of the largest street protests in years</a>, killing thousands of people.

Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">received assurances</a>&nbsp;that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.

But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities</a>&nbsp;in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing. Iran was Hamas' most important patron, providing the group hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769089086118.png" alt="Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday inaugurated his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">Board of Peace</a>&nbsp;to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.In a speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/world-economic-forum-davos-updates-1-20-2026">the World Economic Forum</a>, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/greenland">seize Greenland</a>, then by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">a dramatic retreat</a>&nbsp;from that push.“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump Participates in the Board of Peace Charter Announcement <a href="https://t.co/CJz0CmePJq">https://t.co/CJz0CmePJq</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2014279910278225942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> arrives for the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/X5mXCxT9NT">pic.twitter.com/X5mXCxT9NT</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014283215075246426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Board of Peace signing ceremony! 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/w92RRIGYnM">pic.twitter.com/w92RRIGYnM</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014287123759747504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump thanks each Board of Peace member 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/2ePy4XkCR7">pic.twitter.com/2ePy4XkCR7</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014304577105866883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“We are here today because of President Trump’s vision” <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/qXnkbuN2Fn">pic.twitter.com/qXnkbuN2Fn</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014305225574580385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/jaredkushner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaredkushner</a> thanks President Trump for his leadership 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ncYhJ2SbtP">pic.twitter.com/ncYhJ2SbtP</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014308526416396558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created.&quot; - Board of Peace Chairman, President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/xo7AwSDdeV">pic.twitter.com/xo7AwSDdeV</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2014299643723543021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The event featured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-dce5a67ee31c5310149121baa52ea14a">Ali Shaath</a>, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa">the Rafah border crossing will open</a>&nbsp;in both directions next week. That's after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, is overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-a7f07c3c9680b34c563124964885efa8">the Palestinian committee</a>&nbsp;set to govern the territory under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-trump-witkoff-bb39015d25aeb627a5b9ce73dd4e1155">U.S. supervision</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769080530297.png" alt="Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-board-of-peace-a4a296f736474e8c6a4edacd7109b8e5">The new peace board</a>&nbsp;was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other officials from only 19 countries plus the U.S. actually attended. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world."Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day. But he was more conciliatory in his remarks on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss alps.“We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn't enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that some countries’ leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments, and the Trump administration says it has also gotten queries about membership from countries that hadn’t been invited to participate yet.<h2>Why some countries aren't participating</h2>Big questions remain, however, about what the eventual board will look like.Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian president on Thursday is due to host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for talks in Moscow.Others are asking why Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said her country wasn't signing on “because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.”“And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” she told the BBC.Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate, after France also said no. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts.Canada, Ukraine, China and the executive arm of the European Union also haven't committed. Trump calling off the steep tariffs he threatened over Greenland could ease some allies' reluctance, but the issue is still far from settled.The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas. But it noted that the use of those assets will require the U.S. action to unblock them.<h2>Board grew out of ceasefire proposal</h2>The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">20-point Gaza ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and even was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-gaza-ceasefire-us-resolution-russia-107e44e276fe04a5365ff6d914545718">endorsed by the U.N. Security Council</a>.Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;announced he’s agreed to join, after his office has earlier criticized the makeup of the board’s committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.Months into the ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians continue to suffer the humanitarian crisis unleashed by more than two years of war. And violence in Gaza, while not at the same level as before the October ceasefire and hostage deal was agreed on, continues.Key to the truce continuing to hold is the disarming of Hamas, something that the militant group that has controlled the Palestinian territory since 2007 has refused to do and that Israel sees as non-negotiable. Trump on Thursday repeated his frequently mentioned warnings that the group will have to do so or face dire consequences.He also said the war in Gaza “is really coming to an end” while conceding, “We have little fires that we'll put out. But they're little,” and they had been “giant, giant, massive fires.”<h2>Iran protests loom in the background</h2>Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">some of the largest street protests in years</a>, killing thousands of people.Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">received assurances</a>&nbsp;that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities</a>&nbsp;in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing. Iran was Hamas' most important patron, providing the group hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years.

🎥President Trump signs his Gaza 'Board of Peace' into being

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Firefighters rescued three pets from a fire at a Kansas home on Tuesday.

Just before 5:30p.m. crew&nbsp;responded to a house fire at 868 SE Rice Road, according to a media release.. Upon arrival, crews encountered a single-story home with heavy smoke and visible flames on the exterior of the residence.

Firefighters initiated both exterior and interior fire attack operations and were able to successfully extinguish the fire.

Three occupants self-evacuated from the residence prior to firefighter entry. During search operations, firefighters rescued and revived two dogs and one cat from inside the home.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental and related to cooking activity in the kitchen. The home had&nbsp; no working smoke detectors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769030268688.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Firefighters rescued three pets from a fire at a Kansas home on Tuesday.Just before 5:30p.m. crew&nbsp;responded to a house fire at 868 SE Rice Road, according to a media release.. Upon arrival, crews encountered a single-story home with heavy smoke and visible flames on the exterior of the residence.Firefighters initiated both exterior and interior fire attack operations and were able to successfully extinguish the fire.Three occupants self-evacuated from the residence prior to firefighter entry. During search operations, firefighters rescued and revived two dogs and one cat from inside the home.The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental and related to cooking activity in the kitchen. The home had&nbsp; no working smoke detectors.

Crews rescue three pets after fire at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced Wednesday that after a thorough review, criminal charges could not be ethically or legally filed against a Kansas City police officer involved in a 2023 shooting that killed two people and injured another.

“Based on the available facts, applicable laws, and legal principles concerning an officer’s use of force, we are unable to criminally charge the officer,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said.&nbsp;“We recognize that this determination may be deeply painful, and we extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the victims’ families and to a community that continues to grapple with this tragedy.”

On June 9, 2023, a Kansas City police officer was stopped at a red light at the East 31st Street and Van Brunt Boulevard intersection when he observed occupants of a white truck exit the vehicle.

 One of the occupants appeared to be armed but went back inside the vehicle and started to drive away when they noticed the officer. It appeared the occupants of the white truck, located in the right lane, directly in front of the officer, were in a dispute with two vehicles beside them in the left lane.&nbsp;

As the officer pulled up alongside a white minivan involved in the dispute, the front passenger fired a gun at the white truck. The officer fired at the passenger 16 times, killing him and the driver, and injuring a rear passenger.&nbsp;

The Prosecutor’s Office determined the officer used permissible force in defense of others, responding to the front passenger who was firing at the truck. Under Missouri law regarding transferred intent, a person cannot be held criminally liable when they unintentionally strike a third party while defending themselves or others. Dash cam footage shows the officer fired continuously at the front passenger, his intended target, and additional evidence supports that he was unaware anyone was in the back seat.&nbsp;

“To be clear, this Office remains concerned about the circumstances of this shooting. Two parents and spouses were killed, and a young man was hurt,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said. “Our determination that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges should not be construed as an endorsement of the officer’s conduct or a conclusion that the risks to human life were appropriately weighed or managed.”

In her decision letter, Prosecutor Johnson expressed serious concern about the officer’s pattern of behavior and its potential impact on other pending cases he’s involved in. She communicated those issues, including concerns about his continued employment, directly to KCPD leadership.&nbsp;

“While employment decisions are addressed solely with KCPD and the Board of Police Commissioners, we trust their leadership will give our concerns serious consideration,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769051482631.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced Wednesday that after a thorough review, criminal charges could not be ethically or legally filed against a Kansas City police officer involved in a 2023 shooting that killed two people and injured another.“Based on the available facts, applicable laws, and legal principles concerning an officer’s use of force, we are unable to criminally charge the officer,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said.&nbsp;“We recognize that this determination may be deeply painful, and we extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the victims’ families and to a community that continues to grapple with this tragedy.”On June 9, 2023, a Kansas City police officer was stopped at a red light at the East 31st Street and Van Brunt Boulevard intersection when he observed occupants of a white truck exit the vehicle. One of the occupants appeared to be armed but went back inside the vehicle and started to drive away when they noticed the officer. It appeared the occupants of the white truck, located in the right lane, directly in front of the officer, were in a dispute with two vehicles beside them in the left lane.&nbsp;As the officer pulled up alongside a white minivan involved in the dispute, the front passenger fired a gun at the white truck. The officer fired at the passenger 16 times, killing him and the driver, and injuring a rear passenger.&nbsp;The Prosecutor’s Office determined the officer used permissible force in defense of others, responding to the front passenger who was firing at the truck. Under Missouri law regarding transferred intent, a person cannot be held criminally liable when they unintentionally strike a third party while defending themselves or others. Dash cam footage shows the officer fired continuously at the front passenger, his intended target, and additional evidence supports that he was unaware anyone was in the back seat.&nbsp;“To be clear, this Office remains concerned about the circumstances of this shooting. Two parents and spouses were killed, and a young man was hurt,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said. “Our determination that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges should not be construed as an endorsement of the officer’s conduct or a conclusion that the risks to human life were appropriately weighed or managed.”In her decision letter, Prosecutor Johnson expressed serious concern about the officer’s pattern of behavior and its potential impact on other pending cases he’s involved in. She communicated those issues, including concerns about his continued employment, directly to KCPD leadership.&nbsp;“While employment decisions are addressed solely with KCPD and the Board of Police Commissioners, we trust their leadership will give our concerns serious consideration,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said.&nbsp;

KCPD officer in double-fatal shooting will face no charges

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an RV fire&nbsp; in Kansas City on Thursday.

Just after 4p.m. Thursday, Kansas Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported car fire in the 700 block of Lewis in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 On arrival crews reported an RV on fire in the the driveway next to a single-story occupied home with minor extension in to the home. The first arriving company upgraded the call to a house fire due to the extension. 

Companies began interior operations on both the RV and the house. Upon entry into the RV,&nbsp; a woman in her mid 50s was discovered and removed. She was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. A second victim, a man in his mid to late 50s was discovered in the rear of the RV. He was pronounced deceased, according to Hopkins. 

Due to the significant injury and fatality, Bomb and Arson has been requested and will conduct the investigation.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an RV fire&nbsp; in Kansas City on Thursday.Just after 4p.m. Thursday, Kansas Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported car fire in the 700 block of Lewis in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews reported an RV on fire in the the driveway next to a single-story occupied home with minor extension in to the home. The first arriving company upgraded the call to a house fire due to the extension. Companies began interior operations on both the RV and the house. Upon entry into the RV,&nbsp; a woman in her mid 50s was discovered and removed. She was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. A second victim, a man in his mid to late 50s was discovered in the rear of the RV. He was pronounced deceased, according to Hopkins. Due to the significant injury and fatality, Bomb and Arson has been requested and will conduct the investigation.

Man dead, woman critically injured after RV fire in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, amid protests over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/subpoenas-minnesota-investigation-lawsuit-federal-officers-8693014921e7a240108cb7f58dc56a46">Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown</a>.

The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, confirmed that members of an Army military police brigade who are stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina have been given prepare-to-deploy orders.

If deployed, the troops would likely offer support to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-economy-hilton-26fcb9165ec98bc77dc86e57f65022cc">civil authorities in Minneapolis</a>, according to the official, who stressed that such standby orders are issued regularly and they do not necessarily mean that the troops would end up going.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-deployment-minnesota-immigration-insurrection-act-31a28c23045bfdb31b27f68507a68ca8">About 1,500 active-duty soldiers</a>&nbsp;from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska also have received similar standby orders. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-act-history-fdr-minneapolis-901631b98c96a425dc0c9b10a041bdac">the Insurrection Act</a>, a rarely used 19th century law that would allow him to use active-duty troops as law enforcement.

That threat followed protests that erupted in Minneapolis after a federal immigration officer killed resident Renee Good on Jan. 7. Trump quickly appeared to walk back the threat, telling reporters a day later that there wasn’t a reason to use the act “right now.”

“If I needed it, I’d use it,” Trump said. “It’s very powerful.”

When asked about the latest orders, which were reported earlier by MS Now, the Pentagon said it didn’t have information to provide at this time.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and frequent target of Trump, has urged the president to refrain from sending in more troops and,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?s=20" target="_blank">in a statement Tuesday</a>, invited him to visit Minnesota and “help restore calm and order and reaffirm that true public safety comes from shared purpose, trust, and respect.”

In his second term, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-trump-federal-intervention-chicago-a206278c6948dfd17f9224be81c440f1">pushed traditional boundaries</a>&nbsp;by using troops in American cities, often over the objections of local officials, amid federal operations targeting illegal immigration and crime.

Trump deployed federalized National Guard troops to Los Angeles last June after protesters took to the streets in response to a blitz of immigration arrests. Ultimately, he sent about 4,000 Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines to guard federal buildings and, later, to protect federal agents as they carried out immigration arrests.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, amid protests over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/subpoenas-minnesota-investigation-lawsuit-federal-officers-8693014921e7a240108cb7f58dc56a46">Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown</a>.The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, confirmed that members of an Army military police brigade who are stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina have been given prepare-to-deploy orders.If deployed, the troops would likely offer support to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-economy-hilton-26fcb9165ec98bc77dc86e57f65022cc">civil authorities in Minneapolis</a>, according to the official, who stressed that such standby orders are issued regularly and they do not necessarily mean that the troops would end up going.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-deployment-minnesota-immigration-insurrection-act-31a28c23045bfdb31b27f68507a68ca8">About 1,500 active-duty soldiers</a>&nbsp;from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska also have received similar standby orders. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-act-history-fdr-minneapolis-901631b98c96a425dc0c9b10a041bdac">the Insurrection Act</a>, a rarely used 19th century law that would allow him to use active-duty troops as law enforcement.That threat followed protests that erupted in Minneapolis after a federal immigration officer killed resident Renee Good on Jan. 7. Trump quickly appeared to walk back the threat, telling reporters a day later that there wasn’t a reason to use the act “right now.”“If I needed it, I’d use it,” Trump said. “It’s very powerful.”When asked about the latest orders, which were reported earlier by MS Now, the Pentagon said it didn’t have information to provide at this time.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and frequent target of Trump, has urged the president to refrain from sending in more troops and,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?s=20" target="_blank">in a statement Tuesday</a>, invited him to visit Minnesota and “help restore calm and order and reaffirm that true public safety comes from shared purpose, trust, and respect.”In his second term, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-trump-federal-intervention-chicago-a206278c6948dfd17f9224be81c440f1">pushed traditional boundaries</a>&nbsp;by using troops in American cities, often over the objections of local officials, amid federal operations targeting illegal immigration and crime.Trump deployed federalized National Guard troops to Los Angeles last June after protesters took to the streets in response to a blitz of immigration arrests. Ultimately, he sent about 4,000 Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines to guard federal buildings and, later, to protect federal agents as they carried out immigration arrests.

Army orders military police to get ready for a possible Minneapolis deployment

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Kansas City and asking the public for help with information to locate a suspect.

At 4:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to Linwood and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

While en route officers were advised there was a person possibly shot inside a vehicle there.&nbsp;On arrival officers were directed to a vehicle near the intersection where they located a male shooting victim unresponsive alone inside the vehicle. 

Officers called for EMS who responded for treatment of the victim. EMS subsequently transported the victim to the hospital where he was ultimately declared deceased by medical personnel.This case is being investigated as a homicide, according to Becchina. 

Preliminary information from callers and people at the scene when officers arrived indicates the victim was inside the vehicle when another vehicle pulled along side his vehicle and shots appear to have been fired from that vehicle into the victim vehicle striking the victim.

This is a heavily traveled area with vehicle and foot traffic at this time of day, detectives are optimistic that there could be multiple very valuable witnesses.

 If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768791564663.png" alt="File photo by Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>File photo by Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Kansas City and asking the public for help with information to locate a suspect.At 4:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to Linwood and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.While en route officers were advised there was a person possibly shot inside a vehicle there.&nbsp;On arrival officers were directed to a vehicle near the intersection where they located a male shooting victim unresponsive alone inside the vehicle. Officers called for EMS who responded for treatment of the victim. EMS subsequently transported the victim to the hospital where he was ultimately declared deceased by medical personnel.This case is being investigated as a homicide, according to Becchina. Preliminary information from callers and people at the scene when officers arrived indicates the victim was inside the vehicle when another vehicle pulled along side his vehicle and shots appear to have been fired from that vehicle into the victim vehicle striking the victim.This is a heavily traveled area with vehicle and foot traffic at this time of day, detectives are optimistic that there could be multiple very valuable witnesses. If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline

Police asking for information in fatal KC drive-by shooting

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating five suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust in southeast Kansas.

On January 17, sheriff's deputies executed a narcotics search warrant at a home located at 630 E. 9th Street in Cherryvale, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

Deputies made contact with the homeowner, identified as 37-year-old Rae Rash, and conducted a search of the residence. During the search, deputies located five additional individuals inside the residence, including one juvenile. All individuals were detained while the search was conducted.

As a result of the search, deputies located and seized approximately 172 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 280 grams of suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

The following adult subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the listed charges:

Rae Rash is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child

Jeffrey Mayberry, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Interference with a law enforcement officer.

Clayton Harper, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child, Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Brandy Barnett is jailed on requested charges of Cherryvale on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, Aggravated endangering a child , Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brandi Welch of Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp; Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp; Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child.

The juvenile located inside the residence was taken into protective custody for their safety.

Sheriff Ron Wade stated, “Drug distribution, especially in close proximity to schools and involving children, will not be tolerated in Montgomery County. Our deputies will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure the safety of our children.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961029824.png" alt="Welch-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Welch-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating five suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust in southeast Kansas.On January 17, sheriff's deputies executed a narcotics search warrant at a home located at 630 E. 9th Street in Cherryvale, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.Deputies made contact with the homeowner, identified as 37-year-old Rae Rash, and conducted a search of the residence. During the search, deputies located five additional individuals inside the residence, including one juvenile. All individuals were detained while the search was conducted.As a result of the search, deputies located and seized approximately 172 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 280 grams of suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.The following adult subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the listed charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768960992542.png" alt="Rash photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Rash photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Rae Rash is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961172607.png" alt="Mayberry photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Mayberry photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeffrey Mayberry, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Interference with a law enforcement officer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961126724.png" alt="Harper photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Harper photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Clayton Harper, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child, Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961071258.png" alt="Barnett-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Barnett-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Brandy Barnett is jailed on requested charges of Cherryvale on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, Aggravated endangering a child , Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961029824.png" alt="Welch-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Welch-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Brandi Welch of Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp; Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp; Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child.The juvenile located inside the residence was taken into protective custody for their safety.Sheriff Ron Wade stated, “Drug distribution, especially in close proximity to schools and involving children, will not be tolerated in Montgomery County. Our deputies will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure the safety of our children.”

Sheriff: Suspects were selling drugs from Kan. home where children lived

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A former police officer was acquitted Wednesday evening of charges he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school during the critical opening minutes of what would become one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.

Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzalez, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022.

Flanked by his lawyers, Gonzales appeared to be fighting back tears after the verdict was read out in court.

The trial was a rare case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. Gonzales had faced the possiblity of up to two years in prison if he had been convicted.

The nearly three-week trial included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors had argued in laying out their case that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school.

At least 370 law enforcement officers ultimately rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victim’s families who had said they wanted more officers held accountable for the law enforcement response.

Gonzales had been charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment — each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured.

During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents of victims described sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded.

Gonzales’ lawyers argued he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman.

They argued to jurors that Gonzales risked his life when he joined a group of five officers who tried to reach the classroom before they were driven back by rifle fire. Defense attorneys also said Gonzales helped evacuate children from other classrooms before the gunman was killed.

Gonzales and former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo are the only two responding officers that day to face charges. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set.

Gonzales’ trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures.

State and federal reviews of the shooting cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">cascading problems</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long.

Prosecutors faced a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018</a>. A sheriff’s deputy was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parkland-florida-school-shooting-deputy-91dfe6054944fa3a8399ee18f05d2171">acquitted by a jury</a>&nbsp;after being charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack — the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705598723648.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A former police officer was acquitted Wednesday evening of charges he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school during the critical opening minutes of what would become one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzalez, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022.Flanked by his lawyers, Gonzales appeared to be fighting back tears after the verdict was read out in court.The trial was a rare case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. Gonzales had faced the possiblity of up to two years in prison if he had been convicted.The nearly three-week trial included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors had argued in laying out their case that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school.At least 370 law enforcement officers ultimately rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victim’s families who had said they wanted more officers held accountable for the law enforcement response.Gonzales had been charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment — each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured.During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents of victims described sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded.Gonzales’ lawyers argued he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman.They argued to jurors that Gonzales risked his life when he joined a group of five officers who tried to reach the classroom before they were driven back by rifle fire. Defense attorneys also said Gonzales helped evacuate children from other classrooms before the gunman was killed.Gonzales and former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo are the only two responding officers that day to face charges. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set.Gonzales’ trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures.State and federal reviews of the shooting cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">cascading problems</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long.Prosecutors faced a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018</a>. A sheriff’s deputy was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parkland-florida-school-shooting-deputy-91dfe6054944fa3a8399ee18f05d2171">acquitted by a jury</a>&nbsp;after being charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack — the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting.

Jury acquits officer of charges he failed duty to confront gunman in school shooting

ATCHISON COUNTY—A suspect wanted following an investigation by police and the KBI in June is in custody facing additional allegaions.

Shortly before 7p.m. on Tuesday an officer on patrol observed a vehicle being driven by Robert ‘Jamie’ Ford who the officer knew was wanted on outstanding warrants, according to Atchison Police Chef Mike Wilson.

The officer stopped the vehicle in the 600 block North 11th Street in Atchison where Ford was taken into custody on two District Court warrants and new traffic charges. 

He was subsequently found to be in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The District Court warrant charging him with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia is in connection to a June 2025 Atchison Police/Kansas Bureau of Investigation joint investigation. Ford was taken to the County Jail.

He is being held on requested charges that include possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, transporting an open container and District Court warrants charging him with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769010357891.png" alt="Ford photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Ford photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—A suspect wanted following an investigation by police and the KBI in June is in custody facing additional allegaions.Shortly before 7p.m. on Tuesday an officer on patrol observed a vehicle being driven by Robert ‘Jamie’ Ford who the officer knew was wanted on outstanding warrants, according to Atchison Police Chef Mike Wilson.The officer stopped the vehicle in the 600 block North 11th Street in Atchison where Ford was taken into custody on two District Court warrants and new traffic charges. He was subsequently found to be in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The District Court warrant charging him with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia is in connection to a June 2025 Atchison Police/Kansas Bureau of Investigation joint investigation. Ford was taken to the County Jail.He is being held on requested charges that include possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, transporting an open container and District Court warrants charging him with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and probation violation.

Wanted Kansas suspect was in possession of cocaine

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.

The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.

In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”

Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.

The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.

NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.

The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.

A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.

Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.

“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.

Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”

Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”

He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”

Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”

“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.

In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.

“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”

His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.

Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.

Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.

“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.

Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.

Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”

Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.

Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.

Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.

“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”

When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.

‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’

In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.

“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.

He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”

Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769004214648.png" alt="President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;The deal is going to be put out pretty soon... it gets us everything we needed to get.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/S3X95XCm1S">pic.twitter.com/S3X95XCm1S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014069502615466111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/3FM8el4RAe">pic.twitter.com/3FM8el4RAe</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014057541215408154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;Well, we have a concept of a deal. I think it’s going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we&#39;re going to work together on something having to do with the arctic as a whole... it has to do with the security — great security.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hpCQNmcAjV">pic.twitter.com/hpCQNmcAjV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014071312797278380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Red carpet arrival for President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> in Davos! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/YB2iph2C6m">pic.twitter.com/YB2iph2C6m</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2013962623658713373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Governor Gavin Newsom reacts to President Trump&#39;s remarks on California at World Economic Forum. <a href="https://t.co/DiVtb5qH8r">pic.twitter.com/DiVtb5qH8r</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2013988263174836698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”<h2>Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms</h2>Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.<h2>Tariff threat looms large</h2>Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.<h2>Trump’s housing plan overshadowed</h2>Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.<h2>‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’</h2>In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”___Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Trump agrees to 'framework' deal on Greenland, drops tariff threat

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City and working to determine how the victim died.

Just after&nbsp;9pm Tuesday, police responded to an apartment in the 2500 block of Benton in Kansas City, Missouri, on an EMS call.

The caller saw a person in a neighboring apartment who appeared to be injured and needed medical attention. On arrival officers were led to an apartment inside the building where they located a man unresponsive with unknown injuries. Officers called for EMS who responded and rendered aid before ultimately declaring the victim deceased at the scene.

Based on the preliminary circumstances Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide. They will be working with crime scene investigators to gather evidence and canvass for any witnesses

Detectives will also work with medical examiners to determine cause and manner of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769002460203.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City and working to determine how the victim died.Just after&nbsp;9pm Tuesday, police responded to an apartment in the 2500 block of Benton in Kansas City, Missouri, on an EMS call.The caller saw a person in a neighboring apartment who appeared to be injured and needed medical attention. On arrival officers were led to an apartment inside the building where they located a man unresponsive with unknown injuries. Officers called for EMS who responded and rendered aid before ultimately declaring the victim deceased at the scene.Based on the preliminary circumstances Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide. They will be working with crime scene investigators to gather evidence and canvass for any witnessesDetectives will also work with medical examiners to determine cause and manner of death.

Homicide: KCPD working to determine man's cause of death

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, described a high school wrestling coach, a paraprofessional, a speech pathologist and a bus driver who all had at least two things in common.

None was required to submit to a criminal history and background check before working in proximity to school-age children, and all were accused or convicted of criminal acts against children they worked near.

“I believe the public would be stunned to know how many people may come in contact with their child in the educational process during a school day who have not been subject to mandatory fingerprint-based criminal history and background checks,” Mattivi said at a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mattivi urged approval of a bill that would require state and national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks for all employees and volunteers at public and private schools every five years. He characterized the absence of a requirement as a gap in public safety.

The Kansas State Department of Education already requires licensed teachers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks, but the bill would solidify that requirement in state law.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb246/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 246</a>&nbsp;also proposes a new fingerprinted background check requirement for other school employees and contractors, such as janitors, cooks, coaches, therapists, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, volunteers and some administrators.

Those positions, Mattivi said, sometimes have greater and more private access to students than teachers do.

Applicants would have to foot the cost of a background check, or a school district could cover it.

Nicole Maddox, information services director at the KBI, said the $57 fee for fingerprint-based background checks covers processing costs for both the KBI and the FBI.

Sen. Mike Argabright, an Olpe Republican, was concerned with turnaround time. Many school boards only meet once a month, especially in rural areas, he said, and the bill as written could create a potential time crunch for the KBI to quickly run checks so schools can onboard the appropriate staff or volunteers.

The KBI currently promises a turnaround for background checks within 7-10 business days. The current average response time, Maddox said, is 9 hours.

The bill’s requirements would apply to approximately 44,000 teachers and 32,000 non-licensed staff each year, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill. If the cost per background check remains at $57, the state education department would receive an additional $4.3 million annually.

The bill is backed by multiple state agencies, and it was introduced last February at the behest of Steven Anderson, the state’s inspector general. It had no opponents.

In a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/22666/638597681756200000" target="_blank">audit</a>, Anderson recommended almost exactly what the bill proposes, cementing in state law that fingerprint-based criminal background checks be performed in a five year cycle for all school employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769027077083.png" alt="KBI Director Tony Mattivi appears at a press conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He spoke to a legislative committee in January 2026, encouraging lawmakers to advance a bill that requires all school employees to submit to fingerprint-based background checks. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>KBI Director Tony Mattivi appears at a press conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He spoke to a legislative committee in January 2026, encouraging lawmakers to advance a bill that requires all school employees to submit to fingerprint-based background checks. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, described a high school wrestling coach, a paraprofessional, a speech pathologist and a bus driver who all had at least two things in common.None was required to submit to a criminal history and background check before working in proximity to school-age children, and all were accused or convicted of criminal acts against children they worked near.“I believe the public would be stunned to know how many people may come in contact with their child in the educational process during a school day who have not been subject to mandatory fingerprint-based criminal history and background checks,” Mattivi said at a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.Mattivi urged approval of a bill that would require state and national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks for all employees and volunteers at public and private schools every five years. He characterized the absence of a requirement as a gap in public safety.The Kansas State Department of Education already requires licensed teachers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks, but the bill would solidify that requirement in state law.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb246/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 246</a>&nbsp;also proposes a new fingerprinted background check requirement for other school employees and contractors, such as janitors, cooks, coaches, therapists, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, volunteers and some administrators.Those positions, Mattivi said, sometimes have greater and more private access to students than teachers do.Applicants would have to foot the cost of a background check, or a school district could cover it.Nicole Maddox, information services director at the KBI, said the $57 fee for fingerprint-based background checks covers processing costs for both the KBI and the FBI.Sen. Mike Argabright, an Olpe Republican, was concerned with turnaround time. Many school boards only meet once a month, especially in rural areas, he said, and the bill as written could create a potential time crunch for the KBI to quickly run checks so schools can onboard the appropriate staff or volunteers.The KBI currently promises a turnaround for background checks within 7-10 business days. The current average response time, Maddox said, is 9 hours.The bill’s requirements would apply to approximately 44,000 teachers and 32,000 non-licensed staff each year, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill. If the cost per background check remains at $57, the state education department would receive an additional $4.3 million annually.The bill is backed by multiple state agencies, and it was introduced last February at the behest of Steven Anderson, the state’s inspector general. It had no opponents.In a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/22666/638597681756200000" target="_blank">audit</a>, Anderson recommended almost exactly what the bill proposes, cementing in state law that fingerprint-based criminal background checks be performed in a five year cycle for all school employees.

KBI director urges mandatory background checks for school employees to fill public safety gaps

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Two Missouri women who had abortions 50 years ago testified Tuesday to mental health effects they suffered from the procedure

KANSAS CITY — The first slate of witnesses from the Missouri Attorney General’s office in the fight to uphold statewide abortion regulations offered testimony that professionals and scientific studies have long disputed, including claims about mental health outcomes and abortion medication.&nbsp;

It’s the second week of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-abortion-regulations-trial-access-trap-laws/">10-day bench trial&nbsp;</a>that will be decided by Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, along with the ACLU of Missouri, filed the lawsuit over Missouri’s few dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP, laws,</a>&nbsp;claiming they are now unconstitutional under the state’s reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in 2024.

Advocates say those laws made abortion almost completely inaccessible in the years leading up to 2022, when a near-total ban was implemented across the state.&nbsp;

The state constitution now prohibits the state from denying, delaying or interfering with abortion access unless it demonstrates “a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”

A majority of the testimony on Tuesday focused on mental health, including two women who took the stand to talk about their own abortions more than 50 years ago.&nbsp;

Linda Raymond, who grew up in St. Louis, said she had an abortion when she was 18 after pressure from her mother, who she said was embarrassed and angry that her daughter had gotten pregnant. Raymond testified that her mother beat her when she discovered she was pregnant.

The nurse and doctors at the Planned Parenthood she went to in 1976 didn’t inform her about the risks or potential complications of abortion, she said, or about the alternatives of adoption or parenting.

“If I had those things in front of me, I would have reconsidered,” Raymond said. “I would have pushed back on my mother.”

Since then, Raymond has become an anti-abortion activist, testifying that she has prayed outside of a Planned Parenthood Great Rivers clinic and tries to talk to people going inside.&nbsp;

“I don’t want other women and families to make the choice that I ultimately made,” she said.

One of the laws at issue requires patients to be given a copy of Missouri’s informed consent booklet prior to an abortion — a<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;26-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;that begins with a statement that human life begins at conception and “abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”&nbsp;

It also includes information about fetal pain beginning at 16 weeks or earlier, even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that a multitude of studies have established that fetuses cannot feel pain until<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/gestational-development-capacity-for-pain" target="_blank">&nbsp;closer to viability</a>, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The law also mandates a 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the procedure, when a doctor or other qualified professional must inform the patient of the “immediate and long-term medical risks to her and possible adverse psychological effects associated with the abortion.”&nbsp;

Attorneys for the state have previously emphasized the need for a “reflection period” for women before they move forward with an abortion. Those who testified for Planned Parenthood last week said it put a huge burden on patients, especially those who had to take time off work, arrange child care or travel long distances to get to the clinic.&nbsp;

Having a wanted abortion isn’t linked to mental health issues, but being denied a wanted abortion is, according to the<a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-facts-abortion-mental-health" target="_blank">&nbsp;American Psychological Institute.</a>&nbsp;Dr. Daniel Grossman, who was called to testify last week by Planned Parenthood’s attorneys, told the court he regularly reviews literature on abortion and mental health and hasn’t seen any evidence of abortion increasing the risk of mental health problems.

But more recent studies, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study" target="_blank">Turnaway Study,</a>&nbsp;paint a better reality, he said. That study, led by one of Grossman’s colleagues at University of California San Francisco, where he serves as ​​director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, focused on 1,000 women who sought abortions between 2008 and 2010 years, and then followed them for five years after they either received an abortion or were unable to get one, including because of state laws banning or limiting abortion.

This study, Grossman testified, found anxiety rates were higher among women who had just been denied abortions. But after five years, he said, there was no difference in the mental health of the groups who had abortions versus those turned away. Grossman is also a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.

According to Missouri public records, post-abortion complication reports from 2018 to 2022 show no patients with a diagnosable psychiatric condition listed as a complication.

Stephanie Jacobson, who was a Missouri resident until about four years ago, had an abortion when she was 16 in 1978, and another when she was 18. Jacobson went on to have five children, but testified Tuesday that the abortions “ravaged” her and left her with depression and anxiety that lingered until she went through an abortion recovery program less than a decade ago.

Now Jacobson is a coach for an abortion recovery hotline, though she said that has exacerbated her mental health issues.&nbsp;

During her testimony, she recounted one “intense” call from a woman who was panicked and screaming after having a medication abortion at home. Jacobson said while she was trying to talk the woman through what she could do with the fetal remains that were sitting on a cloth on the counter, the woman said her cat started eating them.

Attorneys for the plaintiff immediately objected to Jacobson’s testimony as hearsay, and Zhang agreed to strike it from the record. However, the state opted to bring Jacobson back to the stand later in the afternoon to tell the same story again with more detail “on proffer,” which means it won’t be considered as evidence in this trial but could be considered on appeal.

The state also called Dr. Monique Wubbenhorst, who practiced as an OBGYN for more than 30 years but has never performed an abortion and is against abortion in all circumstances except to save the pregnant patient’s life. Her testimony included many of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/19/abortion-safety-missouri-amendment-trial-jackson-county/">same arguments</a>&nbsp;that were already discussed in the first week of the trial, such as the safety of medication abortion.

Wubbenhorst’s testimony will conclude Wednesday morning, and the trial is expected to end on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769022321846.png" alt=" Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on March 3, 2025 as the clinic restarted procedural abortions for the first time in years. A sign beside her reads: "We Care. We can Help" (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on March 3, 2025 as the clinic restarted procedural abortions for the first time in years. A sign beside her reads: "We Care. We can Help" (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Two Missouri women who had abortions 50 years ago testified Tuesday to mental health effects they suffered from the procedure</h2>KANSAS CITY — The first slate of witnesses from the Missouri Attorney General’s office in the fight to uphold statewide abortion regulations offered testimony that professionals and scientific studies have long disputed, including claims about mental health outcomes and abortion medication.&nbsp;It’s the second week of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-abortion-regulations-trial-access-trap-laws/">10-day bench trial&nbsp;</a>that will be decided by Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, along with the ACLU of Missouri, filed the lawsuit over Missouri’s few dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP, laws,</a>&nbsp;claiming they are now unconstitutional under the state’s reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in 2024.Advocates say those laws made abortion almost completely inaccessible in the years leading up to 2022, when a near-total ban was implemented across the state.&nbsp;The state constitution now prohibits the state from denying, delaying or interfering with abortion access unless it demonstrates “a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”A majority of the testimony on Tuesday focused on mental health, including two women who took the stand to talk about their own abortions more than 50 years ago.&nbsp;Linda Raymond, who grew up in St. Louis, said she had an abortion when she was 18 after pressure from her mother, who she said was embarrassed and angry that her daughter had gotten pregnant. Raymond testified that her mother beat her when she discovered she was pregnant.The nurse and doctors at the Planned Parenthood she went to in 1976 didn’t inform her about the risks or potential complications of abortion, she said, or about the alternatives of adoption or parenting.“If I had those things in front of me, I would have reconsidered,” Raymond said. “I would have pushed back on my mother.”Since then, Raymond has become an anti-abortion activist, testifying that she has prayed outside of a Planned Parenthood Great Rivers clinic and tries to talk to people going inside.&nbsp;“I don’t want other women and families to make the choice that I ultimately made,” she said.One of the laws at issue requires patients to be given a copy of Missouri’s informed consent booklet prior to an abortion — a<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;26-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;that begins with a statement that human life begins at conception and “abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”&nbsp;It also includes information about fetal pain beginning at 16 weeks or earlier, even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that a multitude of studies have established that fetuses cannot feel pain until<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/gestational-development-capacity-for-pain" target="_blank">&nbsp;closer to viability</a>, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.The law also mandates a 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the procedure, when a doctor or other qualified professional must inform the patient of the “immediate and long-term medical risks to her and possible adverse psychological effects associated with the abortion.”&nbsp;Attorneys for the state have previously emphasized the need for a “reflection period” for women before they move forward with an abortion. Those who testified for Planned Parenthood last week said it put a huge burden on patients, especially those who had to take time off work, arrange child care or travel long distances to get to the clinic.&nbsp;Having a wanted abortion isn’t linked to mental health issues, but being denied a wanted abortion is, according to the<a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-facts-abortion-mental-health" target="_blank">&nbsp;American Psychological Institute.</a>&nbsp;Dr. Daniel Grossman, who was called to testify last week by Planned Parenthood’s attorneys, told the court he regularly reviews literature on abortion and mental health and hasn’t seen any evidence of abortion increasing the risk of mental health problems.But more recent studies, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study" target="_blank">Turnaway Study,</a>&nbsp;paint a better reality, he said. That study, led by one of Grossman’s colleagues at University of California San Francisco, where he serves as ​​director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, focused on 1,000 women who sought abortions between 2008 and 2010 years, and then followed them for five years after they either received an abortion or were unable to get one, including because of state laws banning or limiting abortion.This study, Grossman testified, found anxiety rates were higher among women who had just been denied abortions. But after five years, he said, there was no difference in the mental health of the groups who had abortions versus those turned away. Grossman is also a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.According to Missouri public records, post-abortion complication reports from 2018 to 2022 show no patients with a diagnosable psychiatric condition listed as a complication.Stephanie Jacobson, who was a Missouri resident until about four years ago, had an abortion when she was 16 in 1978, and another when she was 18. Jacobson went on to have five children, but testified Tuesday that the abortions “ravaged” her and left her with depression and anxiety that lingered until she went through an abortion recovery program less than a decade ago.Now Jacobson is a coach for an abortion recovery hotline, though she said that has exacerbated her mental health issues.&nbsp;During her testimony, she recounted one “intense” call from a woman who was panicked and screaming after having a medication abortion at home. Jacobson said while she was trying to talk the woman through what she could do with the fetal remains that were sitting on a cloth on the counter, the woman said her cat started eating them.Attorneys for the plaintiff immediately objected to Jacobson’s testimony as hearsay, and Zhang agreed to strike it from the record. However, the state opted to bring Jacobson back to the stand later in the afternoon to tell the same story again with more detail “on proffer,” which means it won’t be considered as evidence in this trial but could be considered on appeal.The state also called Dr. Monique Wubbenhorst, who practiced as an OBGYN for more than 30 years but has never performed an abortion and is against abortion in all circumstances except to save the pregnant patient’s life. Her testimony included many of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/19/abortion-safety-missouri-amendment-trial-jackson-county/">same arguments</a>&nbsp;that were already discussed in the first week of the trial, such as the safety of medication abortion.Wubbenhorst’s testimony will conclude Wednesday morning, and the trial is expected to end on Monday.